sunset rising

Luxurious new Heights development elevates apartment life with sleek amenities, nearby parks, and more

Alta Sunset Heights is slated to open in 2024.

Rendering courtesy of Wood Partners

A major national player in residential real estate is making moves in the Heights' bustling east side. Alta Sunset Heights is the newest luxury residential community coming to the Heights, set to open in early 2024 (pre-leasing is slated for this December, per a press release).

The new complex (1617 Enid St.) consists of 378 luxury apartments and is the newest development from Wood Partners, an Atlanta-based firm that owns some 20,000 homes across the U.S. Currently, Wood Partners owns and operates 13 residential properties in Houston.

As for the units, renters can expect one- and two-bedroom floor plans with high-end stainless steel appliances, granite countertops with tile backsplash, tall cabinetry, full-size washer dryer in all homes, and luxury vinyl flooring throughout the space.

In keeping with elevated apartment life, Alta Sunset Heights will offer a resort-style pool, outdoor kitchen, and dog park (a must for the area). Inside amenities include a clubroom with, fitness center, business center with conference, and entertaining spaces.

Targeting a tech-savvy renter, the community promises wireless connectivity and "the latest audio/visual technology and urban living design," per press materials.

Wood Partners tapped the Heights for its no-brainer young professional appeal. Aside from the local bars, restaurants, and nightlife, the area provides outdoorsy types with nearby outdoor recreational areas and parks, including the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, and of course, Memorial Park.

“The east side of the Heights is quickly becoming a popular neighborhood due to its central location with new dining and entertainment options,” said Bart Barrett, managing director at Wood Partners, in a statement. “We are thrilled to continue expanding into the Houston market with Alta Sunset Heights.”

So hot right now

Houston nails down No. 8 spot among fastest-moving luxury home markets

TK Images for Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

11095 Memorial Drive is for sale for $8.8 million.

For-sale signs on the lawns of luxury homes in Houston-area communities like Bellaire, River Oaks, West University Place, and The Woodlands are disappearing faster than in most U.S. markets.

November’s Realtor.com Luxury Housing Report shows luxury homes in the Houston metro area spent a median 61 days on the market in November, up 3.4 percent from last November. That puts the Houston metro in eighth place among the country’s fastest-moving luxury home markets.

Asking prices for Houston-area listings among top-tier luxury homes started at $794,576 in November, according to the Realtor.com report.

The Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) says stepped-up activity in the luxury home market helped boost the average single-family home price in the area to $422,552 in November. The luxury market — homes priced at $1 million and above — was the region’s top-performing home category in November, according to HAR, with sales up 23.4 percent compared with the same time in 2024.

The Realtor.com report ranks San Jose, California, as the fastest-moving metro for luxury home sales in November. There, luxury homes spent a median 56 days on the market, down 6.7 percent from last November.

“Luxury home dynamics are increasingly driven by local factors rather than national trends,” Antony Smith, senior economist at Realtor.com, says in a release. “Some high-cost metros are experiencing brisk demand and fast turnover, while others face slower sales even at elevated price points. Understanding these local dynamics is key for both buyers and sellers in today's luxury market.”

Roughly 200 miles west of Houston, the San Antonio metro lands on Realtor.com’s list of the country’s slowest-moving markets for luxury homes. San Antonio-area luxury homes lingered on the market for 99 days in November, up seven percent from the same time last year. That gave San Antonio eighth place on the list of the country’s slowest-moving luxury home markets.

Asking prices for San Antonio-area listings among top-tier luxury homes started at $766,548 in November, according to the report.

In November, 5.6 percent of home prices fell into the $750,000-and-above category, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR).

Bend, Oregon, tops Realtor.com’s list of the slow-moving markets for luxury homes. In the Bend metro area, luxury homes were stuck on the market for a median 146 days in November, up 14.1 percent from the same period in 2024.

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